


Love Changes Everything

by ranpoandpoe



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, First Meetings, They/Them Pronouns for Sarah Bellum (Carmen Sandiego), Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-09 21:25:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18925336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ranpoandpoe/pseuds/ranpoandpoe
Summary: Cleo hated not being able to answer her own questions - which made it frustrating that her love life was a constant interrogation point.





	Love Changes Everything

**Author's Note:**

> they just met and it's too soon to use the word love but "love changes everything" sounds better than "immediate attraction changes everything" so... also. this is very short and the work's quality is questioning, but i really wanted to write about this pairing, so i hope y'all enjoy it!

Cleo had received uncountable love confessions during her whole life; since middle school, boys and a handful of girls came to her, avoiding eye contact and with their cheeks red, to tell her that she didn’t leave their thoughts and to ask if, perhaps, she’d allow them to try to be the one for her. 

 

As politely and elegantly as possible, Cleo always declined. They never were “the one” or even someone she’d consider worthy of her time. For a while, she even thought that she wasn’t able to feel romantic desire. The suggestion of the “asexual” label had gotten to her ears a few times, but identifying as such never felt right. 

 

This made Cleo’s romantic life a constant interrogation point, until one day, during college, at the campus’ café. She walked towards her usual seat, everything happening just like every other day, until she saw someone sitting on one of the establishment’s chairs, extremely focused on a bunch of disorganized papers and notebooks spread on the table.

 

Cleo couldn’t avoid noticing how gorgeous they were; even though it wasn’t a common kind of beauty, their chubby cheeks, furrowed eyebrows and glasses almost falling from the tip of their nose fascinated the arts major immensely. 

 

After one whole hour staring and being unnoticed for the first time in her life, Cleo’s heart was filled with disappointment when the fellow student got up from the table and left. 

 

However, the feeling was replaced by amusement when, on the chair the person was once sitting on, there was a single and wrinkled piece of paper. Cleo couldn’t help but smile as soon as she saw it. Quickly, she grabbed it and ran away from the café - still keeping her grace - and, finally, caught up with the student.

 

“Hello!” She exclaimed, delicately touching their elbow, to gain their attention. “I saw you in the café and, um…” Cleo hated herself for stuttering, it definitely wasn’t like her. “You forgot this. I noticed after you left.”

 

Cleo showed them the piece of paper. “I did?” They analyzed the content written and there was a surprised look on their face. “I did! Thank you!”

 

“Wait a minute!” Cleo exclaimed as they turned around. “How can I call you?”

 

“Sarah Bellum, pronouns ‘they’ and ‘them’, please,” Sarah spoke, accepting to shake the hand Cleo had offered. “You?”

 

“Cleo, majoring in History and Arts.”

 

Sarah giggled - and Cleo could swear that she had never seen anything prettier. “Do I need to reveal what I’m majoring in?” They pointed at the white medical coat they were wearing.

 

“I see,” Cleo let out a laughter. “I assume you’re going to the lab, then?”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

“Well, in this case,” Cleo spoke as she took a step closer and grabbed Sarah’s hand. “I shall accompany you.”

 

“It’d be an honor to have such a beautiful lady’s company. What could I possibly do to thank you?”

 

Cleo smiled as soon as she saw the great opportunity that question gave her.

 

“I’m not the kind of woman who asks favors, you see, but I will not say that I would refuse your phone number.”

 

“Oh, my phone number, you say? I see. Your company is very pleasant, Miss Cleo, so I might as well be tipping kindly.”

 

“Intriguing. Would it be too bold if I asked for more details?”

 

Sarah suddenly stopped and smiled -- Cleo had just noticed they were already in front of the campus’ lab.

 

“Not at all,” they grabbed a pen with which they wrote their phone number on Cleo’s palm. “But I honestly like the element of surprise, you see. It could be a simple text, it could be a selfie, or a date. Who knows what the destiny reserves? Anyway. I look forward to seeing you again, pretty lady.”

 

Before they left, Sarah made sure to quickly apply a kiss on Cleo’s hand and the art major - who wouldn’t admit it out loud - missed Sarah’s touch on her hand and the shameless flirt. The first thing she did, of course, was saving the contact on her phone. Then, questioning how much time did she have to wait to avoid seeming desperate. 

 

And then, the hours followed by the sent message were the ones Cleo, who was known for holding pride into the fact of being independent of technology and social media, had checked her notifications more often. It really was intriguing the changes an attractive person in a coffee shop could bring. 

**Author's Note:**

> hi please leave a comment? i seek feedback... a lot. also, if you want to find me on twitter, i'm on @edogawaspoe (even though it's more likely to be seen tweeting about carmen sandiego on @tyleesbian).


End file.
